Minutes of General Meeting

July 20, 2005

Parksville Community Centre

7:30 A.M.

In Attendance:                        Bruce Cownden, Chair                          Paul Blondal                                         

                                    Egon Kuhn                                            Helen Sims      

Michelle Jones                                      Shelley Bayne

                                    Joanna Smith Tait                                  Bob Taylor

                                    Bill Katerenchuk                                   Jean-Marc Fortier

                                    Caroline Grover                                                                        

                                    Fran Kupiak

                                    Marilyn Hayden, Recording Secretary

Guest:                         Councillor Fred Demmon, City of Parksville

Guest Speakers:         John Finnie & Wayne Moorman, Regional District of Nanaimo   

Bruce Cownden called the meeting to order at 7:40 A.M.  Bruce Cownden introduced John Finnie & Wayne Moorman for their presentation.

Changes to RDN Management Team

·         Kelly Daniels, Chief Administrative Officer has accepted a position in CRD and will be leaving the RDN.

·         Neil Connelly, General Manager Community Service

·         John Finnie, General Manager Environmental Services

·         Bob Lapham, Deputy Administrator Corporate & Community Development

·         T. Osborne, Manager Recreation and Parks

·         Dennis Trudeau, Acting Manager Transportation Services

·         Carrie McIver, Manager Solid Waste

·         P. Widauer, Superintendent Solid Waste Facilities

·         S. De Pol, Acting Manager Liquid Waste

·         Mike Donnelly, Manager Utilities

·         Jason Llewellyn, Manager Community Planning

·         Stan Schopp, Manager Inspection & Enforcement

·         Wayne Moorman, Manager Standards & Subdivision

·         M. Moody, Manager Info. Services

·         M. Pearse, Manager Admin. & Corporate Communications

·         N. Avery Manager Financial Services

Wayne Moorman reported that he has been in development services since April 2005.  Susan Cormie does subdivision approvals and works directly under him.   Projects under taken:

·         An application has been sent to Victoria for the RDN to take over sidewalks.

·         Fees and charges for Engineering Services have been amended.

·         Subdivision application fees have been amended.

·         Still interfacing with the Engineering department for sewer, water and street lighting.

·         Capital projects:

o        Barclay Crescent

o        235 lots in French Creek area

·         San Pariel new well system.

·         New well in Madrona.

·         Very busy and need more staff, they are trying their best.

·         Do not see a winding down of development in the area.

·         Having a hard time finding building inspectors to hire.

RDN taking over sidewalks

·         No other regional district in the Province has a sidewalk function.

·         Will be taking over operation and maintenance functions.

·         Maintenance will most likely be contracted out.

·         Have been approached by Fairwinds residents association to take over maintenance of existing sidewalks.

·         It will remain voluntary for the developer to put in sidewalks.

·         Tremendous liability issue.

Breakwater Utility

·         Breakwater utility was sold to Epcore, the transaction is not complete and has to be approved by the Controller of Water Rights.  The controller is reviewing and the transfer should be completed by the end of August.  There are concerns being expressed, which may delay the process.  Hope to see decision made by the end of the year.  There is a memorandum of understanding between the RDN and Epcore for the RDN to purchase the utility from Epcore.

·         Operational Agreements

o        Long term – RDN own & Epcore manage

·          Proposing a draft establishing bylaw.  Residents in Breakwater area would have to approve.

·          Reasons for RDN wanting ownership of Breakwater:

o         control of water supply

o         ground water preservation

o         better management control in French Creek area

o         would have authority over water rates and supply

·         Breakwater area is currently in the RDN Bulk Water supply area.  French Creek will eventually receive bulk water.

·         Water consumption is down in the RDN.

·         RDN promoting user pay at 66 cents per cubic meter for protection of water resource.

·         Currently developers are paying $1600 bulk water DCC’s + $2415 Deferred Capacity Trust Fund.  When Breakwater is owned by the RDN there will no longer be Deferred Capacity Trust Fund, the monies would have to come from parcel tax.  Could have a local service DCC as well as $2415 DCC.

Bulk Water Initiative (Arrowsmith Dam Joint Venture)

·         Englishman River ground water supply to supplement existing ground water supplies.

·         RDN has N.W. Bay trunk.

·         The referendum was passed for bulk water to come on line in 2001.  Projections have changed as Parksville and Qualicum Beach have purchased additional ground water supply.

·         Due to strong conservation by the RDN, bulk water requirements are down 30%.

·         Estimates on when bulk water will be needed:

o        Parksville                                  2015

o        Qualicum Beach              may never need, they are part of the joint venture as an

insurance policy

o        Nanoose                                  2011

o        French Creek                           2020, due to Qualicum Beach taking in Chartwell

o        Breakwater                              2012 – 2013

·         If Parksville and Qualicum Beach will share their ground water, bulk water could be deferred till 2020.

·         Revisiting the original Capital Plan.  If agreements between RDN, Parksville and Qualicum Beach can be worked out, all 3 municipalities will need bulk water at the same time.  There appears to be support for an agreement.

·         Looking at possible sites for a new intake valve.

·         RDN has committed to Sandpiper residents that they will have better quality water after Chartwell has switched to Qualicum Beach water.  Going to shut down the poor quality wells in Chartwell.

·         Development in French Creek can continue if the developer can supply water.  French Creek is going to run out of water if development of the area continues.

Helen Sims stated that Bylaw Amendment Bylaw 500.320, 2005 – Amendment to minimum parcel size for lots created pursuant to section 946 of the Local Government Act was given 4^th reading on Tuesday night.  The Bylaw amendment bypassed committee.  Why was the Bylaw amendment not referred to the ODCA for comment as a referral agency as stated in Bob Lapham’s July 24, 2003 letter regarding referrals to the ODCA? 

·         Wayne Moorman stated that he was not aware that the ODCA was a referral agency.  Marilyn Hayden will fax Wayne Moorman a copy of Bob Lapham’s letter of July 24, 2003.

Bruce Cownden thanked John Finnie and Wayne Moorman for their presentation.  John Finnie stated he would be happy to answer any further questions and invited individuals to call him at the RDN.

John Finnie and Wayne Moorman departed the meeting at this time.

  25/01/2012